Shoe.



PATENTED SEPT. 19, 1905.

H. c. WELGH.

SHOE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.16, 1905.

ANDREW. G. mum on. mow-mmnnuums. wAswum'oN. a. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 190.5.

7 Application filed January 16, 1905. -Serial1l0. 241,166.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HEZEKIAH G. WELCH, of Haverhill, county of Essex,State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Shoes, of whichthe following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings,is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing likeparts.

This invention relates to certain improvements in that class of shoesknown as highout shoes, and has for its object to provide a high-cutshoe which is adapted to be-placed upon the foot and secured with'theease and facility of a low-cut shoe and is adapted to fit the ankle ofthe wearer closely above the point at which it is secured by fastenings.l accomplish this object by means shown in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 shows in side elevation, and Fig. 2 in front elevation, ashoe made according to my invention.

The shoe illustrated is provided with quarter-pieces a a, which extendfrom the vamp Z) upwardly to the top of the shoe, the edges of thequarter-pieces in front being approximately parallel and meeting ornearly meeting from a point at the middle of the vamp to a pointapproximately half-way to the top of the shoe or just above the instepand providing an opening to be laced, the edge portions of the quartersadjacent said opening being provided with eyelets having a lacing ctherein.

The quarter-pieces are so formed that their edges diverge from the upperend of the lacing-opening and extend about and toward the back of theshoe nearly horizontally for a short distance and then extend divergent]y upwardly to the top thereof. The upwardlyextending edges areequidistant from the middle line of the shoe and are joined by anelastic goring d, which is sewed thereto. The upper end of. the goring dis continuouswith the upper edge of the quarters, and its lower endterminates at a short distance above the lacing-opening or thehorizontally-running edges of the quarters, so that a finger-aperture eis provided therebetween. A tongue f extends from the vamp upward acrossthe opening a and terminates a short distance 5 above the lower end ofthe goring.

In placing the shoe upon the foot the lacing is loosened and the lacededge portions are separated, and then the shoe is preferably drawn onthe foot by inserting the fingers in the opening 6 and pulling on thetongue and on the loop at the back of the shoe simultaneously, theelastic goring d permitting the foot to pass through the upper portionof the shoe. The lacing is then drawn tight and tied. The upper end ofthe tongue f is tucked in under the goring, the opening 9 enabling thewearer to do this conveniently, as well as enabling him to pull on thetongue conveniently in drawing on the shoe or to pull the tongue up intoposition. The uppermost eyelets are closely adjacent the opening e, sothat the bow knot in the lacing will cover the opening to a considerableextent. Vhen the shoe is to be removed, the knot in the lacing isuntied, and then the wearer may insert his fingers in the opening 6,grasp the edge portions of the quarters between the lacing and goring,and pull them apart as easily as if the goring were not employedthat is,the goring is so located that it closes the main portion of theshoe-opening above the lacing and yet does not interfere with thefastening or unfastening of the shoe,

this being accomplished as readily as if the shoe were an ordinaryOxford.

The above-described shoe possesses practically the most desirableadvantages of both a high and a low cut shoe without the disadvantagesof either, as the shoe has the appearance of an Oxford in front and maybe secured to the foot with as little or even less difliculty than anOxford, and yet is in reality a high shoe. The shoe can be manufacturedat practically the same cost as an ordinary shoe.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

A shoe comprisingquarter-pieces extending from the vamp to the top, thefront edges of said pieces being equidistant from the middle of thefront of the shoe, the lower portions of said edges extending adjacentand approximately parallel to each other, and a lacing for drawing themtogether, said edges extending divergently about the shoe from the upperends of said laced portions and then upwardly to the top of the shoe, anelastic goring connected to said upwardly-extending edges and closingthe space therebetween from the top tO-tiiis specification in thepresence of two subto Within a short distance of said diverging scribingWitnesses.

portions providin a fin er-aperture there- 1 1 between: and a tongue connected to the vamp, HEZEKIAH 5 and extending to said finger-aperture,sub- Witnesses:

stantially as described. L. H. HARRIMAN,

In testimony whereof I have signed my name H. B. DAVIS.

